That wedding and the party that the tennis player planned since last March Andrea Collarini and his brand new wife Delfina Novillo Corvalán they were at the antipodes of the sensations with which they live today, after the wedding last Saturday. Within the state of happiness for the event, the positive Covid result they both received this Tuesday was a shock to them. Far beyond what it means in sports for the 29-year-old player and for the group of colleagues who were in the celebration and, although they were negative in their tests, several have their trips to Australia on hold to face the start of the tour on the professional circuit.
“We should be living re happy moments, but we are saddened by the news. After so much happiness and joy, it was ugly to tell each of those who came that we had tested positive ”, says Delfina, on the other side of the phone, forcing her voice to be heard clearly because she has a hoarseness that is the only symptom that does not coincide with Andrea. For this reason, the curly boy who was born in New York but is more Argentine than dulce de leche takes the lead in the story through the loudspeaker in dialogue with THE NATION.
They still remain in the 30-hectare field in Villa del Totoral, a town about 80 kilometers from the city of Córdoba. There, to Los Algarrobos Polo, They arrived for the wedding in the open air on a sunny day and did not go out again. They are isolated. “Finally, we did not move from here,” says Collarini, and gives thanks that the confinement be in a very large place. It’s not by chance. In the midst of the pandemic, the option of that terrain seemed ideal to celebrate with the current protocols. The grove allowed a little shelter from the sun and high Bedouin tents, of which only have a canvas roof, were the areas set out for food. Despite the escalation of cases, nothing prevented living that moment with the 350 guests.
“We never thought that something could happen in such an open place. Everything was done meeting each of the requirements, even with the service staff wearing masks all the time. And there is trust with those who came so that if anyone felt bad or had any questions they would tell us. But nothing, neither before nor during the party ”, remarked the couple. Among the attendees were Federico Coria (63rd in the world ranking), Thomas Etcheverry (130°), Juan Ignacio Londero (135°), Facundo Bagnis (76°), Renzo Olivo (189), Andrés Molteni (46 ° in doubles) and Guido Andreozzi (271 °). Etcheverry’s coach was also with them, Carlos Berlocq.
“It was a very hot Saturday and In the early morning the temperature dropped a lot, it cooled down. You felt the change, more in the field, with the body that perspires and with the wind … For that reason, Sunday afternoon when we were feeling very tired we associate it with that. But on Monday morning the fatigue continued and more symptoms began, such as fever, a dry cough and body aches, so we already worried and did the test ”, Andrea and Delfina review, who both have two doses of the vaccine applied. “The only difference is that she is hoarse and I am not, but it must be that I shouted less,” he speculates, trying to take the situation with a smile.
“Immediately, it was to notify everyone and on Tuesday they gave us the positive result,” says Collarini, who You no longer have any signs of any of the symptoms, but you should wait for the next swab. “The first thing is health, recovering well,” says Andrea, with some relief because his tennis friends “all tested negative.” Anyway, the players are within the periods in which they may be incubating the disease, so it is appropriate to maintain isolation. Coria and Molteni are part of the Argentine team that will participate in the ATP Cup in Sydney between January 1 and 9 and, in addition, are directly classified (in singles and doubles, respectively) for the Australian Open to be played between January 17 and on the 30th of the same month.
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“The plans were to go back to Buenos Aires, where we live, to travel to Australia next Monday, but now we will have to see how this continues. My doctor told me that until 48 hours after my fever went away I cannot train and I could gradually start doing something from this Thursday, depending on what I coordinate with my physical trainer. But what I do will be everything without leaving here, until I have the negative result “, puts in climate, linking sports. “If I test negative and the doctor allows it, I have time to travel. The classification that I have to play begins on January 10 ”, he contextualizes, excited to be in the first Grand Slam of 2022. Meanwhile, rest continues. And stay calm, beyond worry.
At the beginning of this month, Collarini had been close to a Covid case that generated a scandal, that of the Brazilian Felipe Meligeni, who despite having tested positive in a PCR was allowed to play for the quarterfinals of the Challenger in São Paulo , where he defeated the Argentine 6-4, 4-6 and 6-3. Then yes, the local player was dropped from the tournament and could not appear in the semifinals. After that, in addition to expressing his discomfort with this serious event, Andrea submitted to the control to return to Argentina and tested negative. Three weeks have passed since then, without her having had any symptoms until after the marriage.
